The low tone of his voice sent a shiver down her spine.
His other hand lifted slowly, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face before trailing down along her jaw.
Sera’s breath caught.
“You walked into that chamber,” he continued quietly, “like you belonged there.”
“Maybe I do.”
Lucien studied her for a long moment. Then his thumb brushed lightly across her lower lip. The touch was slow. Deliberate. Dangerous.
“You have no idea,” he murmured, voice dropping lower, “how much trouble you’re going to cause me.”
Sera tilted her chin slightly. “Then stop me.”
Lucien gave a quiet, almost disbelieving laugh.
“Stop you?” he repeated.
His hand slid from her jaw to the back of her neck, pulling her just a fraction closer. His forehead almost touched hers now.
“If I wanted to stop you,” he said softly, “you wouldn’t have made it past the door.”
Sera could feel his breath against her lips. Every nerve in her body suddenly felt electric. Her hand slowly moved to the front of his shirt, fingers curling lightly into the fabric.
“You’re not stopping me,” she whispered.
Lucien’s jaw tightened slightly and for a moment, it looked like he was fighting with himself. Then his hand tightened at the back of her neck and he pulled her closer and that was the exact moment a sharp knock sounded against the office door.
Lucien froze.
Ronan’s voice came from the other side.
“Boss?”
Lucien closed his eyes briefly, exhaling slowly. Sera stepped back immediately, smoothing her hair as if the moment hadn’t almost exploded into something much more dangerous. Lucien ran a hand down his face before straightening his posture.
“Come in,” he called.
The tension between them didn’t disappear. If anything, it had only just started.
Lucien closed the door behind Ronan.
The office fell silent again, but the quiet didn’t last long.
Sera turned toward Lucien immediately, fire already burning in her eyes.
“I’m coming with you.”
Lucien didn’t even look up from the weapon he was checking on his desk.
“No.”
The single word dropped into the room like a stone.
Sera blinked. “You didn’t even think about it.”
“I already did.”
